had beene since that time kindled by the Pope in all the Kingdomes of his dominion the same were at last somewhat moderated especially in England when Henry the eighth had banished the h Pope from thence who though he continued the said persecution yet was it not so hot as before But after his raigne they were altogether extinguished in Edward the sixt his time though they were kindled againe by Marie who succeeded the said Edward yet the great heate thereof was within few yeares after so quenched in Queene Elizabeths time and by her meanes that the Church was then in great hope that it should have bin altogether delivered that they might then without any great difficulty have come to the end of their so much desired journey for in the very beginning of her raigne shee following the example of her said brother Edward who as another Moses had begun the said reformation with her Princes Peares and heads of Peoples assembled in Parliament abolishing all false Antichristian Idolatrous doctrine * digged with their staves of authoritie with the lawgiver a well of cleare doctrine as it is noted before wherby she did refresh as with cleare coole water of life her thirsty people giving also by this meanes a fit opportunity to prepare tune the harpes of God that they might be ready to sing the song of Moses the servant of God the song of the Lamb when they should have bin passed over And therby did shee in a very little space of time conquer unto Christ the whole Kingdome of England a most glorious conquest indeede yea much greater then that of William surnamed the Conqueror At which change all Christendome stood amazed saith the Historie that it could so easily be effect ed without sedition though it was not suddenly made but by little and little by degrees for the Roman Religion saith hee continued in the same state it was first a full moneth and more after the death of Queene Mary The seven and twentieth of December it was tolerated to have the Epistles and Gospels then the ten Commandements the Symbole the Letany and the Lords Prayer in the vulgar tongue The two and twentieth of March the Parliament being assembled the Order of Edward the sixt was reestablished and by the Act of the same the whole use of the Lords Supper was granted under both kinds The foure and twentieth of June in the yeare following by the authority of that which concerned the uniformity of publique Prayers and administration of the Sacraments the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the liturgie in the English tongue more and more established In the moneth of July the Oath of Allegiance was proposed to the Bishops and other persons and in August Images were thrown out of the Temples and Churches and broken and burned The like being done also by her meanes and assistance the very same yeare in Stotland Now as God had given the two forenamed Kingdomes of Sihon and Og to Israel as the first fruits of their inheritance in like manner doth hee give these two to his Christian Israel and both of them were to bee incouraged thereby against the residue of their enemies beyond the river so that that which Moses said then to the one may truely be said to both * That they had seenewhat the Lord their God had done unto these two Kingdomes and the like should the Lord doe unto all the Kingdomes whether they should passe that therfore they should not feare them because â—ehovah their God would fight for them do unto them â—â—â—e had done to those two their land for which also both of them were to be thankfull unto God and to sing his praises as it is said in the hundred thirty sixe Psalme * Confesse ye to Jehovah for hee is good for his mercy endureth for ever Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy endureth for ever And Og the King of Basan for his mercy endureth for ever and gave their land for an heritage even an heritage unto Israel his servant for his mercy endureth for ever Thus did that most triumphant like Queene conquer those two kingdomes in a spirituall manner putting the last hand to the stripping of the Popes Authority in the said Kingdoms h which was begun even from the time of the forementioned Wickleff when hee did teach against the Supremacie of the Pope temporaltie of the Cleargie Monks pardons affirming likewise that the Church of Rome was the Synagogue of Hell and his Clergie heretickes whose doctrine was even then much favored by King Edward the third and many of his Nobles who withstood with great courage the exactions of Pope Clement the sixth Neither could it bee extinguished ever since that time in the said kingdome though it was most miserablie persecuted in the most part of the professors thereof by the Bishops there even till Henry the eight who banishing the Pope as is already said out of the land stripped him by this meanes of his Hierarchichall power there In which worke his said sonne Edward the sixt continued during his time but Queene Mary seeking to reinvest him againe in the same shee was cut short by God who then raised that Heroicall Virago forenamed Queene Elizabeth in whose time and by whose meanes under God the said Hierarchicall authority of the Pope himselfe dyed as it were or fell there downe to the ground But yet herein these worthy Princes did but in some manner even as Moses when he stripped Aaron the High Priest of his Pontificiall ornaments which presently after he * did put upon Eleazar his sonne i And so did they when after the stripping of the said Pope they did invest the Bishops his true right progenie and that by the authority of their Parliaments of the said Hierarchicall power which hath continued hitherto and since become the right Nationall Euphrates forementioned or glassie Sea mingled with fire And though in the said time of Queene Elizabeth the said renewed or rather changed and as it were new shifted Hierarchie did assume but a little power being but as in its infancy and daring not to shew the hornes of the Beast whereupon this Hierarchicall Harlot was most gloriously mounted yet gathering strength by little and little as the rivers doe commonly which though neere their source or spring their streames be but small and weake yet in the continuance of their course by the gathering together of many rivolets or small streames they become at length broad deepe and strong yea able to beare the greatest trading ships even as the Thames it selfe or rather that literall Euphates as we see it described by the Holy Ghost in the Prophesie of Isaâ—as chap. 8. 7. in that threatning of the people of Judah saying unto them that because they had refused the waters of Shiloah which ran softly c. therefore the Lord would bring up upon them the waters of the river
servants whom he hath also armed now especially with such powerfull authority that If any one doth yet presume to hurt them or oppose them in this most blessed and most holy work of Reformation * fire shall proceed out of their mouth to devoure all their enemies for if any man will burt them he must in this manner be killed And they have also to this end a two edged sword in their hands to execute vengeance upoÌ„ the heathen and corrections among the people yea to binde their Kings in chaines and their Nobles with fetters of iron that they may execute upon them the judgement that is written this honour shall be to all his Saints Prayse yee the Lord FINIS * So the woman did sit upon a scarlet coloured beast Rev. 17. 3. called before vers. 1. waters expounded after vers 19 and 18. * Revel. â— 15. 16. 17. 13. â— 12. 14. 16 17. â— * And thus did the Serpent cast oute of his moâ—th the like â—â—â—nde of water as a flood after the woman Revel 12.15 These Kings were 31 in all Iosh. 12.24 Psal 125. 3. Revel. 11. 〈◊〉 Idem 1. 3. 5. Numb. 33. 1. 3 c. a That is yeares a day for a yeare according to that threatning mentioned Numb. 14. 34. alluding to the type thereof mentioned Exod. 19. 4. Deut. 32. 10. b i. e. One yeare two yeares and halfe an yeare of dayes amounting to the forementioned time of 1260 dayes of yeares c Cent. Magd. Cent. 4. p. 861. l. 44. Helvicus Crounologie Alsted Chron. p. 76. * Revel. 12. 15. h This may be very easily gathered by that which is said Revel. 17. 1. 21. 9. i This is the right practise of the Hirarchicall men both in Pulpits printed books publick and private conferences and the best arguments they can alleadge to oppose the excellent Church government of the reformed Churches beyond Seas k Thus doe the proud wicked men of the world perswade themselves that it is in their power to hind er the proceedings of Gods judgements and to stay his hand when he hath begun to execute Iustice upon them this was the cause of the builders of Babel Gen. 11. 4. c. and of Pharaob Exod. 5. 2. and 〈◊〉 5. 9. and likewise of thâ—se who think that the Kings of the earth shall be able to hinder the drying up of this mysticall Euphrates or to make it run as before now it is dayed up But all such must know that there isâ—… neither understanding nor councell to withstand the Lord as saith Solomon Prov. 31. 30. l For with him is wisedome and strength hee hath counsell and understanding it is he that breakes downe and it cannot bee built that shutteth a man up and he cannot be loosed he that sendeth the waters to destroy the earth and he againe that withholdeth the waters and they dry up saith Job 12. 13. c. * Revel. 16. 16. Iosh. 10. 8. m Such as were those of the great Armado of Spaine called Invincible sent in 1588. to conquer England in the time of Queene Elizabeth Or of that other last which was overthrowne by the Hollenders neare Dover in 1639. * Gen. 1. 7. * Verse 10. * 1 Cron. 4. 2. Revel. 17. 15. Ier. 51. 42. * Dan. 7. 3. * Revel. 4. 6. and * 22. 1. * Psal. 2. 6. * Luke 1. 32. * Esay 22. 22. and 9. 6. * Cor. 15. 25. * Luke 22. 29. and Mat. 16. 19. compared with 18. v. 18. * 1 Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Pet. 5. 3. * 1 Cor. 4. 1. and 5. 4. Mat. 28. 18 19 20. * Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 7. 21. n Thus the Pope doth attribute unto himselfe an universall Hierarchicall power over all the Churches and Bishops of the Christian worlâ— which presumptuous title was at length granted unto him by Phocas the Parricide or cruell murtherer of Maurice the Emperour in the veâ—â—e of our Lord 606 who therby became the Popes midwife Eodem â—nno Concilium Romanâ—m celebratâ—â— in quo idem Bonifacius pro mulgat privilegium Phoâ—â— â—â—jus parriciâ—iâ—â— approbaverat de primatu Ecclesie Romanae quem Patriarâ—hae Constantinopolitani hactenâ—s impugnaverant For the punishment whereof God brought from the Southerne part of the world some 15. or 16 yeares after Mahomet with his false Alcoran together with his troopes of Locusts or Saâ—â—asins who did extreamely vexe the woâ—ld causing the first woe Reâ—â—◠〈◊〉 5. 1â— o Thus are the Nationall Dioceses or Seas of Archbishops and Bishops called by the name of the chiefe Cities of those Provinces over which they doe dominere and exercise their powerfull usurped authority as the Diocesse of Caâ—…ry that of Yorke c. o The Iubiles were first instituted by Boniface the eight in the yeare of the Lord 1300. calling himselfe most blasphemously the Portion of Heaven as having the keyes of it in his power of whom it is very well said that Intravit ut â—ulpes regnavit ut Leo mortuus est ut canis For the punishment whereof God brought the Turkes over the Hellespont in Europe under Ottoman their first Emperour in the yeare of Christ 1320. In this very time and in this Pope that Prophecy of Revel. 13. 11. was truely accomplished these two swords being the two hornes there spoken of signifying the power both of the Priesthood of the Kingdom therefore doth he also weare them in his Miter as true signes or markes hereof Then indeede did this Beast come out of the earth for as the Kingdome of Christ is from Heaven and bringeth men thither so the Popes kingdome is of the earth and leadeth to perdition because it is begun and established by ambition covetousnesse beastlines theft treason and tyrannie Luke 22. 38. p This Councell was held in the yeare of Christ 1414. under Pope Martin the 〈◊〉 whose Pantofle the Emperour Sigismond kissed very devoutly kneeling q It was begun in the yeare 1545. was as the very sincke of all herisies and false doctrines * Revel. 9. 17 18. Eccle. 1. 7. Revel. 16. 4. and verse 12. Ier. 51. 6◠〈◊〉 44. 27. r For the third Viall was pâ—â—â—ed presently after the foremâ—ntioned Councells of 〈◊〉 and Tâ—… about which time Aâ—… the Tâ—… wastâ—d â—any kingdomes in Euâ—… and â—pâ—lt â—â—ch Christian blood The like did Mahomet the seccond and Bajazeth his successors sâ—â—â—â—â—ls Turkish Hist. from the yeare of Christ 1420. to 1600. c. The sixt Viall was powred upon Euphrates about the yeare 1632 so forwards the effect whereof viz the drying up of it appeared first in Scotland anno 1639 when the sentence of Excommunication was deceived against the Hierarchie and the ministers thereof t He that was last the head of this Nationall Hierarchy had manifestly corrupted all both doctrine and worship had hee not beene betimes prevented by the Parliament as it appeares both by his conference with the Iesuite also by the late Canons and by his most tyrannicall actions and cruell
proceedings against the Saints and faithfull servants of God u Even as the woman described Revel. 17. 3. seemes to differ much from that Bâ—ast mentioned Revel. 13 1 c but yet she sits upon the same beast with seven heads and ten bornes but without either â—it or bridle in her mouth to guide it fignifying that this woman is rather guided by the beast having the like Naturall properties of such a bruâ—t beast led with sensualâ—…e as speakes the Apostle Saint Peter 1. 2. 12. and altogether as malicious cruell and abominable if not more because indued with more reason and knowledge altogether perverted and abused And though the said woman be also more gloriously arrayed as you see verse 4. of the said 17 Chapter then the beast yet she is covered all over with names of blasphemie worse then the spotts of the said Panthere And though shee hold in her hand a cup which seemes to bee of gold yet it is but of some base metall only guilt over and thereby but disguised and howsoever it is but full of abominable doctrines and of the filthinesse of her fornication whereby as the false Prophet Balaam shee seduces and deceives both the Kings of the Earth and also the servants of God to commiâ— fornication with her Thus it is with this Nationall Hierarchicall Euphrates which is the right Sea where upon this whore sits as it will appeare by that which followeth u Therefore called the depth of Satan Revel. 2. 24. In which pit it was confined of old by the ancient fathers with Pelagius the first author thereof in the Councell of Carthage kept anno 422. who was an English man borne once one of the chiefe Monkes of that famous Monasterie of Bangor in Chester as it appeares by that verse of Prosper Pestifero vomuit coluber sermone Britaâ—â—us speaking of the said Pelagius compating him in respect of his false doctrine to a Serpent a right broode of the old Serpent one of those that is represented by one of the rods of the charmers of Pharaoh which were turned into serpents but devoured by that of Aaron mentioned Exod. 7. 11 12. * Revel. 15. 3. * 19. Psal. 137. 3. x This ought to be done by the Christian Israll as soone as they shall have rooted out of the Church of God all the Hierarchicall power and authority of Archbishops and Diocesan Bishops * Exod. 19. 1. * Exod. 32. 1 2 c. * Numb. 33. 19. see also Numb. 14. 1 c. * Numb. 20. 29. y Compare these places of the Revelat. which are parallels viz. Revel. 2. 22. 23. with Revel. 9. 18. 20. with chap. 11. verse 13. and chap. 16. verse 3 4 6. and chap. 18. verse 9. 11. and 17. all which well considered will give a great light for the right understanding of these mysteries z That phrase noteth a double death viz. both corporall and Spirituall the like is noted Gen. 2. 17. * Revel. 2. 23. * Iosh. 4. 19. a Answering to the 42. monethes of the Christian Churches pilgrimage through the forenamed desert of Romish Idolatries and superstitions b Thus was the Church of God in England and else where in great hope of a totall and finall deliverance out of the said desart-like popish Religion when King Edward the sixt came to the Crowne but soone after frustrate thereof by his untimely death and therefore forced to stand at that glassie Sea or misticall Euphrates mingled with fire c. mentioned Revel. 15. 2. a place parallel to this being the right type of that c A type of the Parliament in King Edward the sixt and in Queene Elizabeth's time d The message sent by Moses to the Kings of the Amorites before the passage of the Jordan mentioned Numb. 21. 21. c. falles in the time or hath for its Antitype the time of the two Maries Queenes the one of England and the other of Scotland who would not permit the true Reformed Religion to be established in their Kingdomes but rather opposed and persecuted it as much as they could being the horneâ— of the Beast-like Hierarchie * Numb. 21. 24. and 33. * Iosh. 11. 12. c. e The Vice-Roys of this Christian Bâ—shan but especially the last of them William Laud the remnant of the Gyant Popes was a mighty Gyant though of a little bodily stature having for their ordinary beaâ—stead a very spacious Lambeth which hath proved very often a hot burning furnace of yron to many of Gods faithfull servants when the High-Commission Court was kept there f See Rob. f. Herrey Common places first Table * Numb. 34. 11. * Luke 5. 1. * Mat. 4. 18. * Numb. 33. 49. * Numb. 31. 16. * Numb. 25. 9. and Deut. 32. 50. * Heb. 7. Verse 16. * Iosh. 3. 13. â—5 and * Verse 16. and * Verse 17. and 4. 12. * Verse 19. 20. * Iosh. 5. 2. and verse 4. c. * And verse 9. 10. 11. * Numb. 21. 6. g Henry the third was the first which caused Christians to bee burned in England at the instigation of Arundel then Archbishop of Cant. about the yeare 1397. h The time when the Pope was banished out of England was in the yeare of Christ 1534 one yeare after the birth of Queene Eliz. Paul the third being then Pope of Rome a most prophane scoffer of Christ He cursed the same King Henry and gave his Kingdome to whomsoever could get it * Numb. 21. 18. Dartie * Deut. 3. â—4 * Psal. 136. 19 20 21 22. h Aarons ornaments of honour and glorie were many viz. 12. in number whereof he was not stripped all at once but peece by peece and one after another leasurly being loath to dye before he entred into the land of promise as well as Moses and both as unwilling to be thus separated the one froÌ„ the other The Pope was much more loath to be stripped of any part of his power and glory to be cast out of his earthly Canaan and therefore hath hee so much strugled with those thâ—… have at any time attempted to strip him of any part thereof * Numb. 20. 28. i If the Parliament now assembled should but clip the superfluity of B. B. wings that they might not soare so high as they have done hitherto they should then goe no further in the reformation then the said Princes did which God for bid who looketh for much more at their hands and the Christian Israel of God also in this glorious time of reformation * Revel. 22. 1 * Mat. 15. 8. 〈◊〉 * Exod. 24. 18 and 25. 9. and 40. * Isa. 8. 7. k As Doctor Leiton and M. Prtn M. Burton and D. Bastwick two couples of the worthy witnesses of Christ * â—evel 15. 2. Iosh. 3 15. l It is very considerable that as the river Jordan the prototype of this Nationall Euphrates as is noted before hath two springs or chiefe sources the one called Jor and the other Dan even so this misticall Euphrates hathtwo chiefe heads
Officers the most part of them being but lawyers or laikes to use their owne terme no more then they esteeme our Church Elders to be To all which they have given as new Offices of their own moulding and humane invention so likewise new names and titles of their owne fabrication also none of them being * of the fathers planting as saith Christ And such are those of the first forementioned ranke and order as their Suffragan Bishops Chancellors Archdeacons Deanes Commissaries or Highcommissioners which sit as Judges in the said Courts and to whom that Hierarchicall power of the Pope Archbishops c. hath coÌ„mitted the Administration of the keyes not of Christs Spirituall kingdome as Christ himselfe gave to Peter to the rest of the Apostles representing then the whole Church but of their earthly Hierarchicall Kingdomes having appointed them to bee the sole Judges in Ecclesiasticall causes and matters Then the next that follow which are of the second ranke as namely their Secretaries Dataries or Registers Advocates and Procurors occupying Ships Then follow in the last place the third and last sort of them viz. their Promooters Apparitors Solicitorus to which may also be very well added all that table of Questmen Sidemen Inquisitors Church wardens Pursivants c. all which are right Aucupes Aulae or flies of the Inquisition nay all I am sure both great and small birds of a feather and hatcht all of one damme I meane that whore of Babylon All which doe trade on the Sea or word for word as it is in the originall {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} labour the Sea Whereby the Holy Ghost alâ—udeth manifestly to the worke of Huâ—bandry and to those that are occupied in that calling to labour the ground breaking the clods of it and cutting it with the plow A goodly metaphor indeed very well befitting and clearely manifesting the right manner of the trading of these Officers upon this seas which is also used elsewhere to the same purpose viz Psal. 129. 2 3. where the Church of God is represented complaining of her Eâ—emies and saying Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth and yet they have not prevailed against me The plowers ploâ—ed upon my bâ—â—â—e they made long their furrowes by which Metaphoricall speech the cruell afflictions of the Church thus laboured or plowed up as it weâ—e by her Enemies are meaâ—t Which dealing doth very fiâ—ly agree to all the Pâ—â—aticall offices of those Hierarchicall Courts who plow thus the seas or peoples over which they are established when once they doe fill into their lurches or are brought under their â—yr â—â—icall power even as the plowman doth the ground but not as he thereby to fit it and prepare it the better to receive the good seede that it may bring forth the more fruite to the owner but rather as the hirelings use todoe hiring the ground and wearing it with tilling till they have suckt all the fat thereof and filled their owne purses to the great prejudice and manifest dammage of the owner And thus much for the meaning of the words of this present text In the exposition whereof I have beene constrained to insist thus long because it hath beene heretofore otherwise expounded and taken in another sence by the former interpreters then I have done now being led thereunto first by the exposition that the Angell himselfe doth give to the waters or sea wherupon both the whore her selfe sitteth as it hath beene shewed out of * Revel. 17. 15. and these her Officers doe trade as also by the consideration of the type of this Church mentioned before the which I have followed from journey to journey or from one moneth to another especially in the last of the third great Period or part of her voayge through the wildernesse comparing the estate time and events of this christian Church to those of that ancient of Israel whereupon I say I I have grounded this my exposition the which neverthelesse I doe willingly and with all humility submit as I did when I first preached it in publike to the wise and charitable censure of the rest of the most faithfull and painefull labourers my fellow-brethren in the Ministerie rowing hard with us in the true ship of Christ being in the midst of those Seas tossed with mighty waves in great jeopardie that they may bring his true Disciples to the shore of heaven in drawing them out of those troublesome and dangerous hierarchicall seas whom I desire not to cast it away as a new Doctrine though it might seeme so at the first sight but to ponder it well before though they finde it clothed in a very course and homely language and yet borrowed in which having dared to walke thus farre in publike I will yet adventure a litle further observing out of this text thus expounded some few points of Doctrine the which I meane to handle as briefly as I can to apply them to some use of Admonition and exhortation And first in generall considering that all this Hierarchicall forementioned earthly power represented by the said Euphraticall Jordan and all the Officers which doe exercise or administer the same power doe proceed all of them though some more immediately manifestly then the other froÌ„ that Vniversall Papall Sea the common Mother of all the other * Harlots and abominations of the earth and that all the said Officers are thus represented unto us in this text under those foresaid titles of Seafaring men or Sailors in ships whose offices and unlawfull practises doe all issue of the same Source this I say may yeeld this point viz. that The Beast of Rome together with the false Prophet have changed Christs fishing Ship or true Church into a very Pirate Ship or denne of theeves who in stead of gaining soules to Christ doe leese them and in liew of bringing them to Heaven cause their passengers to make ship-wrack both of soule and body in hell as it appeares not only by the words of our Saviour speaking to the Scribes and Pharisies of his time the right predecessors of these both of them having beene the murthers and persecutors of Christ and his saints and saying unto them Mat. 23. 15. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisies Hypocrites for ye compasse sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the child of hell And againe speaking of them to his Disciples he saith Mat. 15. 14. Let them alone they be blinde leaders of the blind And if the blind leade the blind both shall fall into the ditch this truth is likewise manifest by that which is said in particular of their followers Revel. 1â— 8. That all the names of the dwellers upon earth who should worship the Beast were not wrâ—tten in the booke of the Lambe slâ—â—ne from the foundation of the world But especially it is â—lâ—â—re by that which is written in the next chapter viz. 14.
the d Saracens stirred up by the sound of the first trumpet when that * Starre e Mahomet about the yeare of the Lord 622. fell from Heaven unto the earth to whom was given the keys of the bottomlesse pit when the said Saracens made him their Generall about the yeare 630. at the opening whereof came out of it those Saracenicall Locusts mentioned Revel. 9 1 c. who with their said Generall that other Arch-heretick with his smoke false Doctrine of the Alcoran darkened the sunne and the ayre and with the almost innumerable multitude of their Armies did cover and pester both the whole Asian Empire and that of Africa yea rushng and flying further they advanced very farre in Europe invading Thracia Sicilie Sardinia and afterwards came as farre as Spaine about the yeare 714. and there setled themselves under the name of Moores possessing the said Mountaine Kingdome for the space of 800 yeares from thence they rushed also very farre in France in which Kingdome they first entred about the yeare of our Lord 726. and therein advanced as fare as Tours upon the River Loire having for their King Abidiram with an Army of 375000 men from whence they were chased by Charles Martel Duke of Brabant that great Captaine and by his Successour Pepin made afterwards King of France and altogether rooted by Charles the Great the said Pepins Sonne created after that Emperour of Germany in the yeare 800 of the Lord Concerning which Saracenicall Locusts we say that during the time they did thus torment the Christian world the first of the seven forementioned Plagues which caused or brought upon the Inhabitants of the earth the first of the forenamed woes was powred out of the first Viall by the first Angel as it appeares very clearely by the analogy or great correspondency that is to be seene in comparing the effects of the said fift Trumpet mentioned Revel. 9. with those of the said first Viall described Revel. 16. 2. and comparing likewise the said effects of both the said fift Trumpet and of the said first Plague with the charge which was before given to the foresaid Windes in generall in the forealledged seventh Chapter of this Revelat. where the said Winds were restrained from hurting for some time onely either the earth or the sea or any tree as they would no doubt have done else But that restraint being now taken away and the first of the said Windes having already greatly endammaged both the earth and the sea yea the Sunne and the starres as we have already shewed This second being now loosed he is also thereby permitted to hurt the earth or earthly men of the Kingdome of the Roman beast And onely forbidden to hurt either the grasse of the said earth or any greene thing or any tree bearing any good fruit because they were marked and thereby exempted And thus the first Angel of the seven Vials doth likewise powre out his Viall upon the earth onely Secondly the said Locusts were permitted to hurt onely the men which had not the seale of God in their foreheads chap. 9. vers. 4. even so the plague of the first Viall must no more be powred out upon those that were sealed but onely upon the men which had the marke of the beast and which worshipped his image Revel. 16. 2. Thirdly the plague of the Locusts was not mortall they being commanded not to kill them Rev. 9. 5. but onely to torment them with torment like unto the f torment of a Scorpion when he striketh a man Neither was the plague of the first Viall mortall but such a one as thereby a very noysome and grievous sore fell upon those men Revel. 16. 2. So that the one as well as the other caused the first woe proceeding from the plague of the said first Viall brought by the sounding of the said first Trumpet stirred up also and moved by the blowing of the foresaid second winde all which joyned as it were together made the men of those times so miserable that though they sought death in those dayes yet could they not finde it because it did flee from them as did the said Locusts themselves which caused these great torments the which being driven from one place or Kingdome did as it were skip presently unto another continuing therein for the space of about five moneths of yeares and exercising their said tormenting power upon those Christian men by name which had not the seale of God in their foreheads but the marke of the beast onely And thus did they continue for many hundred yeares in Asta Africa and Europe But g though their said power was much abated in Europe by the foresaid Charles the Great who condemned the adoration of Idols and opposed it both by his writings as also in that Councell by him assembled at Franckford in the yeare 794. wherein the second of Nice where the said adoration of images and intercession of Saints was approved held in the yeare 787 was condemned to whom God gave many great victories over the said Sarracens yet because for all his opposition the said Idolatry did still continue being also approved in the Councell of Constantinople held under Michael the third about the yeare 866. therefore could they not be driven quite away But now and then did they much vex the said Christian world with their tailes or remnants making many incursions therein for the space of an hundred and fiftie yeares more about which time * Tangrolipix the Turk upon the death of Mahomet the Persian Sultan was made King of Persia whereby those Saracens were deprived of that Caliphat and soone after the said Tangrolipix got also from them that of Babylon The Sultan Saracen of Egypt was likewise deprived of his Caliphat 150. after by * Saracon another Turke viz. in the yeare 1166. He also invaded many of the Emperour of Constantinoples Provinces After whose death his Successors continued the said Warres and subdued all Media with a great part of Armenia Capadocia Pontus and By thinia and so a great part of the lesser Asia But let us now leave them thus continuing their said Warres one against another and the Greek Princes at variance amongst themselves thereby giving great advantage to the said Turkes still more and more to invade one part or other of the said Empire yea the holy Land it selfe becomming thereby the very bane and grave of many Christian h Emperours Kings Princes and most valourous Captaines and Souldiers whose carkasses have fallen by millions in those remote wildernesses by reason of their idolatrous and superstitious vowes and pilgrimages to the said by them then and by such means most prophaned City and Sepulchre answering very fitly to the threatning denounced by GOD to that ancient Israel Numb. 14. 28 29. as the right type thereof By all which meanes the said Turkish Nations and peoples were also the more provoked against the said Christians to hate and persecute
is also called Lacus Asphaltites a right type of Hell once filled with the dead bodies of the Jewes flying before the Romans in that lamentable and last destructiō of Jerusalem presuming upō a false ground that it would drie it selfe and give them passage as it had done in former ages to their forefathers To which allusion is often made in this book of the Revelation as namely in the punishment of the chiefe enemies of the Christian Church Moses having thus conquered these two forenamed Kingdomes of the Amorites it is said Deut. 3. 12. 13. that he gave the Cities thereof unto the Rubenites and to the Gadites And the land of Gilead and all Bashan being the Kingdome of Og hee gaue unto the halfe tribe of Mnassah c. But it was upon this condition that they themselves should not stay therein yet but passe over the Jordan armed before their brethren the children of Israel all of them that were meet for the warre untill the Lord had given rest unto their brethren as well as unto them c. and then as said Moses unto them they should after that returne every man unto the possession which God had given them and not before Then the people of Israel went forward advancing to their last Mansions or Journeys viz. to the 41 and 42. and pitched all along the said river Jordan from * Beth-jesimoth signifying the house of Desolation to Abel shittim signifying sorrow of thornes As it happened indeede unto them both for their corporall spirituall whoredome the one that is the corporal committed with the daughters of Moab * and the spirituall whoredom through the counsell of Balaam committed in trespassing against the Lord for worshipping of Peor wherefore the plague came among the congregation of the Lord And there dyed in that plague foure and twenty thousand For which cause the Lord commanded Moses to * revenge the children of Israel of the Midianites after which he was gathered unto his people for neither he nor Aaron his brother because they were Ministers of the Law who made nothing perfect Heb. 7. 19. could not introduce the people of God into the land of Canaan but Joshua a true type of the Kingly office of Christ and Eleazar another type also in that the Priesthood was renewed in his Person but manifestly changed in Christ which was not * made Priest after the Law of the carnall commandement but after the power of the endlesse life after the order of Melchisedec By whose ministerie the said Jordan was dryed up that all the Israelites might goe drie cleane over it as it came to passe * as soone as the Priests that bare the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord of all the world had taken it upon their shoulders and had dipped their feet in the brim of the water which was in the time of harvest at which time Jordan did commonly overflow all his bankes for even then * the waters which came downe from above stood and rose up upon an heape but the waters that came downe towards the sea of the wildernesse which is the salt sea or lake of Sodome failed and were cut off and the people passed over right against Jericho And the said Priests stood firme on drie ground in the midst of Jordan and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground untill all the people were passed cleane over Iordan But note now that in passing over the said Jordan * the sonnes of Reuben and the sonnes of Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasses went over before the children of Israel armed as Moses had spoken unto them It is also added concerning the time of their said passage verse 19. that it was * the tenth day of the first moneth that then they encamped in Gilgall in the East border of Iericho where Ioshua did pitch the twelve stones which they had taken out of Iordan that they might befor◠a memoriall unta their children for ever There also the Lord did say unto Ioshua * that he should make some sharpe knives to circumcise againe the children of Israel the second time because all the people that were come out of Egypt that were males even all the men of warre were dead in the wildernesse by the way because they had not obeyed the voyce of the Lord wherefore the Lord had sworne unto them that he would not shew them the Land which the Lord had sworne unto their fathers that hee would give them And when they had done circumcising all the people they abode in their places in the campe till they were whole After * the Lord said unto Joshua this day have I taken away the shame of Egypt from you There also they kept the Passeover on the fourteenth day of the moneth at even in the plaines of Iericho And they did eate of the old corne of the land on the morrow after the Passeover And the Manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corne of the land neither had the children of Israel Manna any more but they did eate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that yeare Having said thus much of these last journeys of the Israelites and of some of the chiefe accidents which befell them about their passage over Jordan fit for the better understanding of the matter now in hand concerning the drying up of our said Misticall Euphrates and deliverance of the Christian Israel out or their forementioned desert we must now apply the same to our said purpose thereby to give also according to our former promise in the Epistle to the Reader some tast of the parallell there mentioned very necessary not onely for the clearing of many misteries that are yet very obscure in the booke of the Revelation but also that we may with greater admiration observe the waies and wise proceedings of the Lord in this reformation of his Church now by him taken in hand and in some good measure by him already effected as the same was represented unto us in the old type of the old Testament and foretold both by him and by many of his Apostles in the new which will be also a most sure guide to direct us thereby to follow him and to give him the glory due unto him for all And to this end we must know that about the latter end of the forementioned third and last great period of time whrein that Journey of the 42. Moneths of our said Christian Israel through their said wildernesse was divided which we shewed to beginne in the time of John Wickleff in the yeare 1380. of Christ when the said people began to issue out of it the said Christian Church I say having sustained many strong oppositions and most cruell persecutions during the space of some two hundred yeares that she was a passing through that hideous desert full of most cruell * fiery serpents I meane the g fires of persecution which